


World Penguin Day

by thestanceyg



Series: Darcy Lewis April Challenge [25]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M, High School, Prom, Sequel, mentioned Happy, mentioned Pepper Potts - Freeform, writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-25
Updated: 2015-04-25
Packaged: 2018-03-25 16:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3816409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestanceyg/pseuds/thestanceyg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In this sequel to National Jelly Bean Day (day 22), the author vents her feelings about chaperoning Prom through Darcy.  Also, Tony is there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	World Penguin Day

**Author's Note:**

> Day 25
> 
> Holiday: World Penguin Day  
> Prompt: Sequel to National Jelly Bean Day (day 22)

Chaperoning Prom was widely considered to be the most terrible extracurricular requirements that someone could be subjected to.  Every May, the faculty would turn in forms ranking the chaperone options from 1-10.  Then, the assistant principal did some sort of magic that included how quickly you turned your form in to determine your fate.  Everyone wanted registration.  Sitting at a table handing out schedules for four hours?  Ummm, yes please.  Second best was graduation because the school always sprung for pizza afterwards (and most everyone also got crazy drunk and the owner of the place drove them home).  Prom, though.  No one wanted Prom.  It started with having to show up at 6 PM.  Students could start showing up as early as 6:30 (when the photographer opened), but the dance didn’t start until 7:30.  Dinner was not served.  Before anyone could get into the dance, they had to take a breathalyzer test, then they had to get a paper wrist band.  Once inside, the dance floor chaperones would cut wrist bands if students were dancing “inappropriately.”  If you were inappropriate and your band was already gone, you were kicked out.  Oh, and if you weren’t cutting wristbands, the over zealous assistant principal would warn you that this would “go on your record” and then point at some students to “deal with.”  You couldn’t go home until the last kid left, which meant you probably didn’t get into your car until 2 AM.  And that wasn’t to even mention the drunk kid puking in the bathroom or the drug deal happening in the corner.  

Also, you had to dress for the occasion.  You know, because teachers have a whole lot of need for formal dresses.  So, while it was fun to see your kids all dressed up and having a good time, that really couldn’t overcome just how much it sucked to chaperone Prom.

This year, Darcy had lucked into the first hour of dance floor duty.  Usually there were very few kids dancing in the first hour, and very little in the way of wristband cutting.  As she stood there, trying hard not to dance, Jemma slid next to her.  

“Hello Miss Lewis,” she said brightly.

“Hi Jemma,” Darcy answered, “Love your dress!  That blue is great on you!”

Jemma blushed.  “Thank you,” she said, opening her purse.  “I brought something for you.”

“Something for me?” Darcy asked.

“Yes.  I brought you a corsage.  It was meant to be for Skye, but she refused to wear it.  I couldn’t let it go to waste.”

Jemma pulled the flowers out of a box and handed them to Darcy, who promptly put it on.  There’s no way she could have refused Jemma.  Jemma had killer puppy dog eyes.

“That’s so nice of you!” Darcy thanked her.  “It’s amazing how well it matches my dress!”  

“Oh it really does!” Jemma said excited.  “I’m so pleased!”  

“Thanks again, Jemma.  Now go enjoy yourself!  Have a fun night!”

Jemma disappeared into the crowd, and Darcy started circling the dance floor (more to avoid the assistant principal than anything else). That’s where she found Tony.

“Hey Stark.  Nice penguin suit.”

“Thanks Lewis.  You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“So, are you hiding too?”

“Absolutely.  Happy is always such a pain at these things.”

“He’s only trying to suck up to Potts.”

“Well, it’s not like Potts can elevate him to co-principal.”

“Actually, I think he’s trying to woo her with his competence.”

Darcy looked at Stark.  “You think Happy wants to date Pepper?”

“Well, I mean, that’s her theory too.”

Darcy laughed.  “Are you telling me that all those meetings you have with her are actually to gossip, and not about you blowing something up?”

“Ehhhh,” he said, waving his hand, “it’s about 50-50.”

Darcy smiled, and then noticed his lapel.  “Nice flowers,” she said, motioning to his boutonniere.

“What?” He asked.  “Oh!  That.  Apparently Fitz had two dates and they mixed up which one was buying the flowers, so he gave me one.”

“That’s funny,” Darcy said, raising her hand.  “I got this corsage from Jemma for a very similar reason.”

Tony grabbed her hand.  “Well will you look at that,” he said, pulling her hand onto his chest to look at the flowers side by side.  “We match.”

Just then a flash went off.  Darcy pulled her hand away and they both turned.

“Thanks guys!”  Skye said, waving her phone.  “That was just too cute for words.”

Darcy sighed, “You’d think she had better things to do than take pictures of teachers.  You know, with two dates and all.”

“Skye has two dates?” Tony asked.  “Yeah.”  Darcy waved her wrist at him, “Jemma and Fitz.”  She motioned to his flowers.

Tony took her hand again, examining the flowers carefully.  “You know, those flowers are a really good match for your dress.”

“Yeah, they are,” she answered slowly.

“It’s almost as if,” Tony started

“This wasn’t an accident at all.” Darcy groaned.  “What is with students being all up in teacher’s lives?”

“I don’t know,” Tony said.  “But Happy is about to be all up in our business if we don’t get moving.”  He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a corner.  “I know a kid that isn’t selling drugs but looks like it.  He’ll buy us some time.”

***

Midnight found Tony and Darcy at the favor table, handing out cheap picture frames to anyone that wanted one as they left.  A giggling Skye was walking backwards as she pulled Jemma and Fitz out into the lobby.

“C’mon guys!  Time to get this princess home before she turns into a pumpkin.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works,” Jemma laughed.

The trio stopped at the table.  “Three frames please,” Skye said, putting out her hand.

Darcy handed them to her as Fitz turned to Tony and asked, “Don’t you normally work registration instead of Prom?”

Darcy could swear there was a hint of red in Tony’s cheeks when he answered, “Yeah, usually.”

**Author's Note:**

> Several Things:
> 
> 1\. OH MY GOODNESS. You guys blew me away yesterday. I try super hard to go and reply to every comment I get, but they came in fast and furious. Thank you to everyone who had such kind words for me and the story. I guess you wouldn't mind that story expanded!
> 
> 2\. I have strong feelings about chaperoning Prom. Could you tell?
> 
> 3\. I don't know if it will happen with my few remaining days, but I have one more part to this story in mind. It came to me today while writing this. I think that if you've liked this one so far, you'll enjoy part 3.
> 
> 4\. If I expand something to full length, what's the best way to inform you all? Edit the notes in the story in the collection? Add day 31 which lists anything that goes full length? Something I haven't thought of yet?
> 
> 5\. Have I told you lately how much I appreciate all of you? Every time you leave kudos or a comment, I draw hearts around your names on my book covers.


End file.
